Ter Sowin
Ter Sowin is a magical country, connected to many worlds where the boundaries between them are weak. The level of technology is no greater then the early middle ages, even with the help of magic. Ter Sowin is a land of perpetual springtime where things are good and simple for most. Yet all is not safe. The people of Ter Sowin have their conflicts, some isolated skirmishes, and others are long standing feuds. Geography Ter Sowin is a beautiful open country, with wide open fields and deep, dark woods. There are many rivers, lakes and streams that dot the country side. There are a few low hills, mostly covered by forests. There are many Swamps and Marshes in the lower lands. There is a ring of high mountains that circles the land. In the areas populated by the Hauflin there are many fields of wheat and rye and flower, and patches of melons and pumpkins and many other vegetables. There are many orchards of apples and peaches and all kinds of fruit trees. Ter Sowin, being a magical land, is kept in a perpetual springtime. Like the arctic circle of earth in the summer, the sun never dips below the horizon. For a few hours everyday it gets close to the horizon before heading back up into the sky. Races of Ter Sowin There are a few main races on Ter Sowin, each with their own unique place in the world. There are many talking animals on Ter Sowin but they aren’t counted as a single race. Talking animals as a whole are considered sentient peoples and are included in many tribal decisions amongst the other races. Alblin Alblin are humanoid bipeds that have long antelope-like horns on their heads and hairy, deer-like legs that end in hooves instead of feet. They consider themselves to be the epitome of beauty. Whether lone or in an army, Alblin are a force to be reckoned with. Their zealous protection of the forests they live in is widely known and invading a forest guarded by them is something few would even consider. Signs of Alblin supremacy are widespread in Ter Sowic, from their gilded forest palaces to their mercilessness toward the other, "lesser" races. Despite their domination, the people of Ter Sowin thrive through community and tradition. Bogawlin Typical Bogawlin are small, with pointed ears, elongated noses, and tan skin. Bogawlin tend to be impulsive, greedy, and extremely dim-witted, though there are some exceptions. Bogawlin are generally seen as an irritating and occasionally dangerous pest. They form large, self-contained clans that live in swamp warrens under the leadership of a Big Brother. They delight in coming up with ever more daring and ingenious tricks to play on the other races in order to acquire "treasure" - anything from a bucket to rare jewelry is considered a worthy prize for a trick well pulled. They then share the loot - and, more importantly, the story - with the rest of the clan. Færelin Færelin are small humanoids that are insect-like, undergoing metamorphoses like butterflies and moths. Wing patterns differ between individual Færelin although the males have moth like patterns while the females are butterfly like. They act more like insects then people and few ever communicate with the other races. They are mischievous and impulsive, buzzing around the countryside following their own whims. They live in hives and are all descended from the Færelin Queen, a Hirawlin. Salamedlin Salamedlin are a civilized elemental people. Their bodies are smooth and red, made of a malleable stone-like substance and wreathed in flame. The Salamedlin are highly spiritual, seeing themselves as being the most in tune with the Higher Elementals, and consider the haughty Alblin to be their natural enemies. They fickle, wander prone nature, living alone or in small groups and wandering Ter Sowin in Caravans. Hauflin Hauflin are a small-stature Halfling-like species that typically grow no taller than 4 feet. They have a strong sense of community and simplicity. This culminates in the thought weft, near-psychic empathy between all Hauflin. Hauflin tend toward rural roles such as wheat farming, and live in small, well-protected villages known as Klakans. Hirawlin The Hirawlin are living aspect of pure magical power. They take the form of whatever magical element they are derived from and can, as a result, come in an unlimited variety of shapes, from massive, lumbering rock beings, to quick, briefly-existing lightning ones. Most Hirawlin also combine this form with that of another living species, so that they can appear in the approximate shapes of humans or animals. Hirawlin are revered as deities; some are even seen as gods by the people of Ter Sowin. Jotlin Most Jotlin are large brutish troll like people. They are often thought of as being stupid and randomly destructive, however not all act this way. Jotlin are said to do everything “big.” This can mean a hungry one eating an entire field or a thoughtful one sitting and thinking for 10 or 20 years. Some Jotlin are intelligent and benevolent hermits while others tend towards destruction, whether it is accidental or intentional. Merawlin The Merawlin are humanoid aquatic creatures with fish-like characteristics. They don't have legs, instead, they have long fishtails that give them unsurpassed speed and skill in water. Merawlin tend to be slimly built with shimmering scales and ornately finned skulls. The Merawlin live in the many deep rivers, streams and lakes (known as Merawlin roads) that cross the countryside and act as its couriers, merchants, and traveling tradesmen. Their wide-roaming nature has left them with an innate familiarity with the country unique among the races, and they see it as their duty to chart and record its history and layout for posterity. Trelin Trelin are sentient creatures which resemble trees both physically and biologically. They are normally quiet, and slow and lumbering if they move at all, but are quick and relentless in the defense of their forests. They are most often cast as the guardians of a forest's ecology and harmony. The Trelin take an active role in society, seeing themselves as defenders of the status quo. Most Trelin are lone wanderers, but they have a strong sense of community. Some stick to the groves were the future generations of Trelin grow, as the community raises the saplings, they children of the Trelin. Regions of Ter Sowin Glit Alana, the Greater Wood The largest continual forest in Ter Sowin, Glit Alana is home to the Alblin and many Trelin. The Alblin build great cities and palaces in Glit Alana. The Weald The Weald on Ter Sowin is a deep, dark, wild swampland where many of the Bogawlin keep there Warrens. The Alblin go hunting in the Weald, killing for sport rather then sustenance. Merawlin Roads The Merawlin Roads are the intersecting steams and rivers that cross Ter Sowin. The Merawlin Roads are the home of the Merawlin. The Rivers, even the Underground Streams of the Underflow, all meet at the Great Lake of Meandall. Siredell Siredell is the largest of the Hauflin Klakan. It is the center of Hauflin society and many travel here for trade and festivals. The Mountains Ter Sowin is circled by a ring of mountain. They have no name and are the home for many Jotlin and Salamedlin. No one knows what lies beyond the mountains as no one has ever ventured to find out. The Ændelin term for mountain is Hiyer-Dun, literally higher hill. Reejurya Hollow Legends say that Reejurya Hollow is the location of the Hive of the Færelin Queen. In all possibility the Hive is protected by powerful magic that keeps people from finding it, so Reejurya Hollow could be any of the numerous hollows or glens in Ter Sowin. Ot Bosk The Ot Bosk is the meeting place of the Elder Trelin. This old grove of trees was the breeding ground of the first Trelin on Ter Sowin. The Common Language of Ter Sowin The common language of Ter Sowin, called Ændelin, is spoken by most of its inhabitants. The language is similar to the Germanic languages of earth, having a lot of shared vocabulary and grammatical structure with English, Dutch, German and a number of other languages that stemmed from Proto-Germanic. The alphabet The alphabet can be transcribed with the following 22 letters. There are no silent letters in Upper Case: A Æ B D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U W Y Lower Case: a æ b d e f g h I j k l m n o p r s t u w y Letters are pronounced mostly like English except for: *A is pronounced like a at the end of Spa *Æ is pronounced like a in Cat or Can *F is pronounced like English V in some places *S is pronounced like English Z in some places *G is always a hard G *Y is never a vowel *E at the end of words is pronounced Pmkava 02:43, 6 March 2009 (UTC)